AT this point in time the Good Law Project, supported by a public crowdfunding initiative, is taking the Conservative government to court for its cronyism and lack of process in its awarding of contracts during the current health crisis.

What comes to mind, generally, is the colossal waste of public money and lack of scrutiny. At the centre of that would have to be the ill-fated HS2 project, currently £800 million over budget and projected to send the diggers into ancient woodland and heritage sites.

What is additionally offensive is the blatant southern bias of the project. It is little wonder that the Prime Minister is spending time trying to woo the new northern Conservatives who represent those areas where road and rail infrastructure is so poor.

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Those who argue that Scotland is “too wee, too poor” for an independent economy should take stock. Even if the first two or three years of budgeting were tentative in their efforts, it is clear that we could do so much better.

The launch of the Scottish Investment Bank was excellent news, while recognising it requires wider public involvement. Monday’s news report of its investment in a Clydeside laser technology firm is exactly the kind of development required to grow the economy (First investment as Scots national bank launches, November 23).

The draft Scottish constitution tying a Scottish currency to government control offers more possibility of a stable economy without casino-banking hands in the till.

There has been a distinct shift in the approach to what governments consider to be good governance – public health and well-being figure as they have not since JM Keynes and PM Attlee. The desire for honest dealing and public transparency has never been greater, particularly since the “reality television” approach of Donald Trump has been rejected by the US electorate.

An independent Scottish, clean, green economy beckons.

Maggie Chetty
Glasgow